Stephen Gannon is business leader of the Epicor automotive aftermarket group. He has more than three decades of experience with leading business technology organizations, including Oracle, Compaq, Fujitsu and Verifone. Gannon is based in the Epicor global headquarters in Austin, Texas. He spoke with Aftermarket Business World about changing technology demands, growth opportunities for Epicor and the industry.
Technology continues to advance not just in vehicles but in the distribution channel as well. What are your customers’ demands like now in comparison to five years ago?
The aftermarket is quickly becoming a fully integrated digital enterprise. Consumers benefit through deeper insight into vehicle performance via onboard electronics and telematics. Repair businesses use timesaving estimating and parts sourcing solutions to provide fast, high-quality services. Parts distributors can leverage detailed point-of-sale information from a national panel of their peers to improve stocking strategies. And, of course, suppliers are using data analytics to better determine which products to manufacture and deploy and at what volumes given documented market demand. In each case, the ability to access and interpret information has become a powerful competitive advantage. This is true among all of our customers, whether it’s a repair shop using the Epicor Integrated Service Estimator and MechanicNet Cloud CRM solutions; a distributor using the Eagle or Vision ERP solution along with the Epicor catalog, eCommerce connectivity and industry data analytics; or a supplier who relies on our Big Data expertise to increase product sell-through and improve margin performance.
What areas do you see as the biggest growth potentials in terms of technology for manufacturers moving forward?
Continuing on the theme of integration and connectivity, I believe manufacturers are still in an early stage of leveraging the power of industry data analytics, both for their exclusive purposes as well as to use in collaboration with key channel partners. As you might know, we joined AASA in launching the annual Channel Excellence Award, which highlights technology-based best practices among strategic channel partners. Manufacturers and distributors are beginning to recognize the value of Big Data as a collaborative tool that can uncover new revenue opportunities and significantly enhance channel efficiency. This year’s award winners – DRiV Incorporated and Parts Warehouse Inc. – leveraged data analytics to achieve double-digit sales increases across an extensive network of stores and customer locations.
What sets Epicor apart from its competitors in terms of its product and service offerings?
First, our heritage of extensive industry experience and success in the automotive aftermarket industry sets us apart from every other aftermarket technology provider. We helped introduce IT to the distribution channel in the early 1970s and followed up on that with the industry’s first electronic catalog in the 1980s. We were a pioneer in B2B eCommerce with the launch of the Epicor Parts Network. And our industry data analytics organization helped develop the data warehouse solutions used by virtually every major parts distribution organization. At the service provider level, the Epicor MechanicNet Cloud CRM solution was a pioneer in helping shops increase sales and profitability through stronger customer relationships. We are absolutely committed to this industry and continue to expand and enhance our product and service portfolio to help customers achieve faster, more profitable growth.
Epicor also is the only solutions provider connecting every step in the aftermarket value chain, with estimating and CRM solutions for service providers, to dozens of solutions for jobbers, distributors and parts retailers, to ERP, product information services and industry data analytics for manufacturers. Again, this highly complex industry is becoming an integrated digital enterprise powered by the flow of information. And information, above all, is what Epicor delivers.
Tell us about Epicor’s expansion into the Mexico market.
Mexico’s aftermarket continues to grow at an impressive rate in spite of the fact that many parts distributors and service providers have been forced to rely on outdated business technologies. Epicor ERP software and our electronic catalog helped revolutionize parts distribution businesses across the U.S. and Canada. We’re confident our latest solutions – including Epicor Vision software and the new PartExpert eCatalog for Mexico – will help do the same for aftermarket south of the Rio Grande.
